Tribesmen's Warning
By Andrew Marshall
Reuters
03 June, 2003
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thousands of sacked Iraqi soldiers threatened Monday to launch suicide attacks against U.S. troops as leaders of the country's squabbling tribes told the Americans they could face war if they did not leave soon.
"The entire Iraqi people is a time bomb that will blow up in the Americans' face if they don't end their occupation. We refuse to deal with the occupation," tribal leader Riyadh al- Asadi told Reuters after meeting a senior U.S. official for talks on the future of Iraq (news - web sites) after Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)."The Iraqi people did not fight the Americans during the war, only Saddam's people did. But if the people decide to fight them now, they are in big trouble."As tribal leaders were meeting Ambassador Hume Horan of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), more than 3,000 sacked soldiers marched on the U.S-led administration's headquarters vowing violence unless they were paid wages and compensation.
"All of us will become suicide bombers," said Khairi Jassim, a former warrant officer. "I will turn my six daughters into bombs to kill the Americans."Paul Bremer, the U.S. civil administrator for Iraq, dissolved Saddam's armed forces, several security bodies and the defense ministry last month, firing 400,000 people. Many protesters said they could no longer feed their families."I have only 750 dinars (60 U.S. cents) in my pocket. How can I feed my family? I have a crippled child who needs medicine," said Sabah Abdullah, also a former warrant officer.
The protesters dispersed after they were promised talks on Tuesday to try to resolve their grievances.
DISGRUNTLED TRIBES
U.S. plans to appoint a political council of Iraqi leaders, rather than have it selected by a national conference as previously expected, also fueled anger among some Iraqis.
Bremer unveiled the plan Sunday to leaders of seven major Iraqi political groups, many of which opposed Saddam from exile during his rule. The groups met Monday to discuss the U.S.- British ideas and are due to see Bremer Friday.
Hamid al-Bayati of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq said the seven groups still wanted a national conference to pick the council.
"A national conference should decide the mechanism for choosing this council," he told Reuters. "The country is without government and we realize the urgency. We propose that Iraqis should choose it and the Americans approve it."
As part of the effort to win over skeptical Iraqis, the U.S.-led administration arranged a meeting with leaders of the country's disparate tribes Monday. Tempers soon frayed.
The tribal chieftains, members of a council of clans they say represents 80 percent of Iraq's 26 million people, criticized the United States for failing to restore law and order and essential services to Iraqis after the war.
Leaders of the heavily armed clans also disagreed with a recent U.S. decision to strip Iraqis of heavy weapons.
"We thank the coalition for liberating Iraq...but are we occupied or liberated? I swear to God, if this is occupation, all our children, women and men, young and old, will die rather than accept occupation," Sheikh Fsal al-Kaoud told Horan.
Horan provoked angry outbursts by acknowledging that the U.S. and British forces were occupying Iraq.
"Occupation is not a nice word, but yes, what we have now is occupation," Horan told the tribesmen in perfect Arabic.
"But the objective of this occupation by the coalition is the establishment of a new, free Iraq."
The first distribution of food rations since the war also drew complaints from Iraqis Monday. Many said they had expected much more food and were bitterly disappointed.
"I was expecting more and better things. Where is all this aid they are talking about? I will still have to go out into the market and buy food so we don't go hungry," said Nuralhuda Mohammed, heaving a sack of 21 kg (46 pounds) of rice.
Antonia Paradela of the U.N. World Food Program said damaged infrastructure and insecurity, which has persisted nearly eight weeks after Saddam's overthrow, had disrupted food distribution, but Iraqis would not be going hungry.